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Bachelor's Completion in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary major within the Social Sciences. Students in Felician's Criminal Justice major benefit from taking a broad array of specialized courses drawn from the disciplines of sociology, psychology, and political science. The purpose of the major in criminal justice is to provide students with a strong and broad academic foundation in preparation for law school, graduate school, or a career in the administration of criminal justice. As a major in Criminal Justice, students will be provided with a thorough grounding in the liberal arts and social sciences, and will also take a series of courses that are designed to acquaint them with the theory and practice of criminal justice administration, investigation, and policing. As a result of this, students will be able to become professional, college-educated criminal justice specialists.

With the creation of a federal level Department of Homeland Security and the ongoing integration of community, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in the service of counter- terrorism, career opportunities in the field of criminal justice will continue to increase. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects higher than average growth for occupations in the field of Criminal Justice between now and 2018.

All students in the major are required to take a Research Methodology course, where they examine the literature on a topic of their choice, create a hypothesis statement, and test it by means of a survey they create to administer to the student population. They are also required to complete an internship in the field, typically in the third year of studies. This is an invaluable experiential learning opportunity that will provide students with the practical dimensions of criminal justice administration in a professional workplace setting. Students may arrange for internships with public agencies such as police departments, county or state prisons, local jails, circuit and municipal courts, or a prosecutor’s offices, or with private corporations which deliver security products or services. This experience will prepare Criminal Justice majors for careers as federal agents, insurance fraud investigators, forensic laboratory technicians, prison guards and administrators, loss prevention specialists, private investigators, and municipal, state, county, and federal police officers.

Graduates in Criminal Justice will also be able to “specialize” in a particular area of interest. There are four tracks within the discipline that students can choose from. If students want to pursue a career in law enforcement, they would focus on the Police Track. If they are interested in becoming attorneys, they would focus on the Pre-Law Track. If they are interested in serving as a correctional officer, they would focus on the Corrections Track, and if they are interested in the sociology of crime, they would focus on the Crime and Society Track. In addition, the major allows students to pursue a Concentration in Criminology and a Certification in Forensics. For those students not planning on majoring in Criminal Justice, they have the option of completing a Minor in Criminal Justice, and/or the Concentration in Criminology, and/or the Certificate in Forensics. Students in Criminal Justice, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, General Science, and CIS would be especially interested in one or more of these options, which are in keeping with our "interdisciplinary" approach to learning at Felician. Lastly, the major focuses on restorative justice efforts, in keeping with the College's Catholic-Franciscan mission.

Program Mission

Felician College's Undergraduate Program in Criminal Justice seeks to challenge its students to bring their knowledge, experience, and newly acquired skills to the service of the community through classroom projects which explore the college and its connection to our society, and through internships and service learning projects, which will deepen the student’s engagement with his or her community. The major provides the framework for an interdisciplinary education. The mission places a special dual focus on restorative justice and community alternatives to traditional models of incarceration and punishment. An emphasis is placed on social responsibility, compassion, and "respect for all creation". By identifying the restorative justice movement as a focal point, there is an emphasis placed on the repair of harm caused by criminal behavior through cooperative processes such as victim-offender mediation, restitution, and ex-offender assistance programs. Criminal Justice majors are given the opportunity to understand the context of the three sub-disciplines of criminal justice---police, courts and corrections-through: the exploration of theory; rigorous exposure to the methods as well as the applications of empirical research, and; an increased understanding of the practical as well as policy implications of both theory and practice.

The Department of Criminal Justice offers a Major in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Criminal Justice. All criminal justice courses are open to majors and non-criminal justice majors, as long as the appropriate prerequisites are met. Students may also choose to double major in criminal justice and another subject. Popular co-majors are Sociology, Psychology and Computer Information Systems, but any other major may be taken in conjunction with a Criminal Justice major. Students may also take Criminal Justice as a minor.

Criminal Justice Minor

Required courses for the Criminal Justice minor (18 credits):

Electives should be selected in consultation with academic advisors, to suit career goals and/or personal interests.

Certificate in Forensics

The Certificate in Forensics in the Criminal Justice major is a 20 credit program that requires students to take 6 courses that are offered. The certification consists of four courses that are 3 credits each, and 2 courses that are 4 credits each.

The Program is designed to meet the growing needs of students in the Criminal Justice Major, as well as Computer Information Systems, Sociology, Psychology and Natural Science Majors, who might want to add a specialization to their major and improve their skills in an area that is gaining lots of interest. The Certificate in Forensics is available to students majoring in any field who also have an interest in Forensics. Non-matriculated students working in an area of law enforcement may also wish to acquire the Certificate in Forensics in order to advance their professional development.

The Certification in Forensics Felician College will enable students to:

Employ the principles and methods proper for scholarly research in the social sciences.

Control Sheet and Four Year Plan

Course Catalog

Careers in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice majors pursue a wide variety of career paths. Some are in applied positions in the field (for example, as a police officer or criminal investigator). Criminal Justice majors may also use the many skills they have learned to get jobs in the business world, working in social services or government offices of various kinds. Majors could also work in the research field (becoming criminologists or victimologists). They could go in to the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, Social Work, Forensic Science, or Police Services.

Another option open to majors is to go on to graduate school. A graduate degree in criminal justice can help students to find a job as a counselor, professor or researcher. There are many career options available to those who get a masters or doctoral degree in criminal justice. Some students also go on to Law School. They would become attorneys or judges.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Felician community and we know you will find a rewarding and enriching experience here as Criminal Justice Major.The Criminal Justice Department has an active and energetic History and Social Sciences Club. You can join the club whether you are history, criminal justice, political science, or sociology major.

Below is a list of just some of the opportunities for Criminal Justice Majors: